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JFF steps up recruitment drive
September 03, 2024
According to Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) President Michael Ricketts, four overseas-based players on their recruitment list, including Mason Greenwood, currently have their documents being processed by the Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency (PICA) and he expects them to be completed in a timely fashion.
Since the appointment of Steve McClaren as Reggae Boyz head coach, the federation has stepped up its recruitment drive for overseas-born professionals with Jamaican heritage.
McClaren told a press conference recently that the federation presented him with a list of targets that he will be conversing with when he gets back home, to get them to commit to Jamaica.
STAR Sports also understands that apart from Greenwood, who the JFF has been targeting for Jamaica's senior men's national team for years, the list includes Arsenal's Reiss Nelson, Morgan Gibbs-White of Nottingham Forest, Tyrick Mitchell of Chelsea, Bournemouth's Max Aarons, Ben Godfrey, who is presently at Serie A club Atalanta, and Newcastle's Issac Hayden.
"Four of them (are being processed). Their documents are actually here with PICA, and we have asked respective (government) ministries to help us expedite the process and that is being done right now," Ricketts disclosed.
"I won't go into anyone specific, as some players have asked me not to discuss the entire process. But at least four players' documents are at PICA, and we are just waiting to complete that process."
Although he could not say when the documentation process is expected to be finalised, Ricketts pointed out that the aim is to have the players available for the 2026 World Cup-qualifying campaign.
"I am not in a position to give a timeline. PICA has said to us that they are working on the documents and in reasonable time the passports will be ready.
"So some players are being processed now, and we will definitely strengthen this group for sure. I want to reiterate that the real picture is 2026, and this is certainly a part of the process of getting to the World Cup. So there are some players who will be added as soon as their documents are sorted out," Ricketts said.
Meanwhile, in the press conference to announce the squad for his first official game as Reggae Boyz head coach, against Cuba in the Concacaf Nations Cup on Friday, McClaren revealed that he knows the players well and will be trying to persuade them to join the Jamaica team.
"We want the best players. If that can be done, if it's a possibility, we'll take it. Strange, because I met Mason at Manchester United training ground about three weeks ago before the announcement (Jamaica coach) was made. So I had to be very careful what I said to him," McClaren disclosed.
"But we had a little conversation, and we've had a conversation since. And what I want to do, like I am going to do with everybody when I get back, is to go and meet them to have a conversation with them and find out the reality of the situation, and whether they actually want to come all the way here to play for Jamaica.
"Again, it's the commitment of the players. They are players that should be of interest to us. They are very good players, and I will be making sure I have a conversation with the president. Mr Speid (Rudolph) has shown me a list of potential targets. I know them very well. I know their agents very well. So, believe you me, when I get home I'll be busy on the phone," he stated.
